Your art is unique and creative and your own. Learn how to ensure that it stays that way by attending a workshop on artists’ copyright issues.

The Brentwood Arts Exchange in partnership with the Gateway CDC presents a series of 5 professional development workshops for visual artists. Topics include tips on marketing art work, navigating copyright issues, pricing, and improving your portfolio presentations. All workshops are free and open to the public.

Presented in partnership with the Gateway CDC and the Prince George’s Arts & Humanities Council.

This article is part of MyGatewayArts.org‘s “Gateway on Foot” series, for more information, see below.

I love visiting Zimstone Gallery and need to make the time more often! Today is the Closing Reception for Converging Cultural Tapestries at Zimstone Gallery, featuring the work of Eileen Cave and Pierre-Antoine Goho. Their works are vibrant and energetic, and the color palettes complement one another in a subtle yet festive fashion.

To add to this great display, Gallery Owner Jeff Brown sells and displays gorgeous stone sculpture from Zimbabwean artists. The sculptures on exhibit add to Cave and Goho’s works, almost each sculpture and each painting dancing in its own way, capturing movement and appreciation of happiness in its very form.

To contrast, sprinkled across such seemingly-pleasant sculptures are works that are sad, stern, contained, or strong-angled. These darker themes make me think of the artists’ inspirations–their peoples and livelihood. As I stare at 3 Generations of Proud Shona Women, and comment on the contained, honest, painfully proud expressions, Cave comments, ” There’s weight in that. It has grace and elegance. ”

Minutes later, Brown speaks with Cave and Goho about the dwindling numbers of sculptors as artists age. ” The whole point of having this particular space is to have sculpture available while exhibiting visiting artists. ” As Brown shows me several photographs from visits with Sylvester Mubayi, amongst other Zimbabwean artists, I am thankful to have this resource in my neighborhood.

Zimstone Gallery is located at 4814 Rhode Island Ave, Brentwood MD, 20722. For more information, go to www.zimstonegallery.com, or call 301.699.1499. View more of Eileen Cave’s artwork at HCAAonline.org, and Pierre-Antoine Goho’s artwork at GohoArt.net.

This article was written for Soulstrong Arts Blog, as part of MyGatewayArts.org‘s “Gateway on Foot” series, a user-submitted portal that allows community members an opportunity to share experiences with one another of happenings in the Gateway Arts District. The series offers an online blog-review component, as well as prospective walking tours, coming Spring 2012 to MyGatewayArts.org.

In reflecting upon my residency at Gateway Arts Center, I am deeply honored and thankful to have received such constructive feedback. Open feedback is a gift given my work’s focus on dark themes, to receive positive and negative responses. Simone at Busboys and Poets says visual artists aren’t used to getting immediate feedback and applause like performing artists do. As such, please be vocal and encouraging! I work in both mediums, and have had to both wait and immediately hear my audience’s responses. Since I seek feedback, the most rewarding is to hear reflections days after and be asked questions. I have to read between critics’ words and lines to guide my work so that I can find a stimulating place that bridges both mediums as well as connects with the audience.

Since I have performed Conduit, I have been asked if I would perform it again. I am happy to say I am not interested in revising anytime soon. The work evolved from an initial purpose, to an interpretive dance chronicling a process of purging and regaining stength, to two separate adaptions created to flesh out two movement styles.

Talk about a packed house! This exhibition’s opening reception is crowded, with live music and a great spread. If you can make it down to artdc Gallery before the night ends, this exhibition features various media that was made to excite. Hand Pickedat artdc Gallery located in the Lustine Center features graphic prints, etchings, paintings, wood carvings, mixed-media sculpture, and more. My eyes immediately gravitate towards Ryan McKibbin’s Snap Model, Camden Place’s Frank and Michael Met Online, and Sarah Martin’s Summer of 61 series.

Hand picked is a selection of Washington, DC area artists who work in a range of mediums from works on paper to wet plate photographs and beyond. The Washington, DC area art scene is active, and it takes someone in that scene to find connections. Our creative manager, Grayson Heck a previous guest curator for the artdc Gallery is an active artist, and he sees connections and activity developing in his peers. We invited Grayson to select artists that he things are important with developing careers in our art scene. This show is representative of the relationships he’s developed through the University of Maryland, and artdc.org.

From my other “hat” with the Hyattsville & Gateway CDCs, great news of the Gateway Arts District’s website, MyGatewayArts.org, now registering local artists and businesses online! Though the website is in beta and will be refreshed in a few months to incorporate new features like its updated Business Locator, Artists’ Directory, and Lease/Rent Studio Locator, plus more, you can register TODAY to be in the loop. Plus, businesses along the corridor that are registered will receive customized Arts District brochure holders if they’re interested. Please see below!

Local Business Owners and Artists of the Gateway Arts District,

MyGatewayArts.org is a FREE online portal for promoting and learning about arts-related activities in the Gateway Arts District. It’s also the community’s best tool to market or search for artists, designers, arts-related organizations and businesses in the Gateway Arts District. Visitors to the Arts District can use it as well as our other developing tools as a roadmap of places to check out in the area.

As the new Content Manager for the Gateway Arts District’s community portal,www.MyGatewayArts.org, I invite business owners to list their business for free on the Business Locator, and artists to list themselves for free on the Artists’ Directory coming soon to MyGatewayArts.org. Operated by the Gateway and the Hyattsville Community Development Corporations, we are expanding the website’s capacity this Spring to make sure every artist and arts-related business in the Arts District is listed.

Lastly, Business Owners, please also let me know if you’re interested in being interviewed for our upcoming “Gateway on Foot” walking tour series, where we’ll interview business owners to hear more about each business in order to promote patronage.

Thanks for your time, please contact me if you have any questions, suggestions, or concerns.

Here’s the skinny (just kidding), on the Gateway CDC’s 3rd Annual Art of Dessert Fundraiser! If you’ve got the tummy and the teeth, come out and support community revitalization in the Gateway Arts District.

Eat Dessert For a Good Cause

Endless Dessert Reception: 8 – 10 pm Tickets: $40

Endless dessert, complimentary coffee, and cash bar

Vote for your faorite local culinary artist in the Edible Design Contest

Live jazz

To submit your own culinary creation, contact Kristus M. Ratliff at (202) 643-3381 or kratliff@theratliffagency.com. PRIZES willl be awarded to the top edible design submission. (more…)

It’s a festive evening tonight at the Prince George’s African American Museum and Cultural Center’s Gallery 110! The reception, at Gallery 110 and at the Brentwood Arts Exchange at Gateway Arts Center, is full of people. The exhibition features the four incorporated towns of Prince George’s County, North Brentwood, Eagle Harbor, Fairmount Heights, and Glenarden. The reception will open to the public at 7pm, please come on out!

I just had to leave but must come back to see J.J. McCracken’s Thirst Installation OPEN NOW at the 39th St Gallery at Gateway Arts Center. I know I blogged to introduce it, and ironically have to leave, but the power behind her work is astronomical and also ironically, very earth-powered. Her work reflects the ironies of feeding our homeless easy-to-produce fatty foods, and the vast amount of ill-nutritious food on the market to America’s masses. Her work is individual driven and speaks to your relationship to earth–to dirt and the thirst for water. For more info on J.J. McCracken, see her website.

Also, last but not least, the University of Maryland Department of Art Honors Program is exhibiting Polymorphism: Mutations in ART . The students’ work reflects the engenuity of each student and the honors program as a whole. Makes me proud!

I am happy to blog about J.J. McCracken’s Thirst Installation being installed at the 39th St Gallery at Gateway Arts Center. It opens on Saturday, January 7th with an opening reception from 5:30pm-8:30pm. Now, as good fortune has it, as Artist in Residence I’ve had the opportunity to see some of the making of this installation, and that was only the framework! I really look forward to seeing what this magnificent artist does with the space. It’ll be a full emersion into another world! For more info on J.J. McCracken, see her website.

Also, last but not least, the University of Maryland Department of Art Honors Program is exhibiting Polymorphism: Mutations in ART in the 39th Street Gallery Corridor Exhibition Space. For an alum like myself, seeing familiar faces and the amazing art coming from my alma mater is inspiring. It’s wonderful to see fellow students growing outside of themselves and coming into their own.

“Thirst is a response to McCracken’s two-person performance Thirst, and the Martyr. Both works draw attention to access to resources, asking viewers to consider scarcity and abundance, both locally and globally. Where the performance allowed for a passive reception, however, Thirst places performative responsibility on the audience. Viewers are required to keep their attention fixed upon their senses, movement, and personal space. In this light, the installation invokes experiences both familiar and foreign.”
-Claire Huschle, Curator
________________________________Also Showing in the 39th Street Corridor Space: POLYMORPHISM: Mutations in ART

First Fridays at Busboys & Poets Hyattsville

–> Artist Talk: Friday, January 6th, 5:30-7:30pm New year, new mindset, new goals: Celebrate the New Year with me at the new Busboys and Poets. Not only will I have the opportunity to speak about my artwork and my process, I will also join three amazing artists to speak as well. Please visit here for more information! I hope to see you! Lets toast to the new year with good people, amazing art, and tasty hummus, fruit, veggies, and wine!
Featured Artists on Jan. 6th: